Sometimes, you just have to walk to the sea and make salt. In this simple action, Mohandas Gandhi showed an unjust law for what it was, and in doing so earned the world’s respect. Mind you, according to wikkipedia, the British jailed 60,000 after the mighty pilgrimage, but the fact remains the salt Satyagraha was a vital step along the road to Indian independence.

I’m not against protest. In no way do I think we should accept laws when they are unjust. I just think there are ways and means of protesting, ways and means of achieving true equality. I was just looking at some pictures of a DAN protest, and while what I think they are trying to do is necessary, I worry that all the bells and whistles and fury will ostracise the general public. We need people on our side, not to drive them away with vitriol. Rather than trying to cram our message down their throats, we need to show people what needs to be done. The mahatma could have cried out with great fury that the salt tax was unjust, but he instead walked to the sea and made his own.

Maybe I’m wrong. If dan succeed in their aims, its fine, for broadly speaking, their aims are my aims. But I look at these pictures and see a lot of sound and fury, and worry that it will achieve nothing but the proverbial pat on the head.